How every animal knows the smell of its enemy and takes precaution. The folly and perdition of him that is the enemy of that One against whom precaution is impossible, and flight is impossible, and resistance is impossible.

اسپ داند بانگ و بوی شیر را ** گر چه حیوانست الا نادرا

The horse, though it is an animal, knows the roar and smell of the lion except in rare instances;

بل عدو خویش را هر جانور ** خود بداند از نشان و از اثر

Nay, every animal indeed knows its own enemy by sign and mark.

روز خفاشک نیارد بر پرید ** شب برون آمد چو دزدان و چرید3620

The little bat durst not fly in the daytime: it came out at night, like thieves, and pastured (got food for itself).

از همه محروم‌تر خفاش بود ** که عدو آفتاب فاش بود

The bat (bat-like man) was more damned than all (others), because he was the enemy of the manifest Sun.

نه تواند در مصافش زخم خورد ** نه بنفرین تاندش مهجور کرد

He cannot be wounded in battle with him (the Sun), nor can he drive him (the Sun) away by cursing.

آفتابی که بگرداند قفاش ** از برای غصه و قهر خفاش

The Sun who turns his back on account of the rage and violence of the bat—

غایت لطف و کمال او بود ** گرنه خفاشش کجا مانع شود

’Tis the extreme of kindness and perfection on his part; otherwise, how should the bat prevent him (from exacting vengeance)?

دشمنی گیری بحد خویش گیر ** تا بود ممکن که گردانی اسیر3625

(If) you take (any one as) an enemy, take within your limit (capacity), so that it may be possible for you to make (him your) prisoner.

قطره با قلزم چو استیزه کند ** ابلهست او ریش خود بر می‌کند

When (one like) a drop of water contends with the Ocean, he is a fool: he is tearing out his own beard.

حیلت او از سبالش نگذرد ** چنبره‌ی حجره‌ی قمر چون بر درد

His cunning does not pass beyond his moustache: how should it penetrate the vaulted chamber of the Moon?

با عدو آفتاب این بد عتاب ** ای عدو آفتاب آفتاب

This (preceding discourse) was a rebuke (addressed) to the enemy of the Sun, O enemy of the Sun of the Sun.

ای عدو آفتابی کز فرش ** می‌بلرزد آفتاب و اخترش

O enemy of the Sun at whose glory His sun and stars tremble,

تو عدو او نه‌ای خصم خودی ** چه غم آتش را که تو هیزم شدی3630

You are not His enemy, you are the adversary of yourself: what does the Fire care that you have become firewood?

ای عجب از سوزشت او کم شود ** یا ز درد سوزشت پر غم شود

Oh, marvellous! Shall He suffer defect through your burning, or shall He become full of sorrow for the pain of your burning?

رحمتش نه رحمت آدم بود ** که مزاج رحم آدم غم بود

His mercy is not the mercy of Adam, for sorrow is mingled with the mercy of Adam.

رحمت مخلوق باشد غصه‌ناک ** رحمت حق از غم و غصه‌ست پاک

The mercy of the creature is anxious; the mercy of God is exempt from sorrow and anxiety.

رحمت بی‌چون چنین دان ای پدر ** ناید اندر وهم از وی جز اثر

Know that the mercy of the Unconditioned (God) is like this, O father; naught but the effect thereof comes into the imagination (is conceivable to us).

فرق میان دانستن چیزی به مثال و تقلید و میان دانستن ماهیت آن چیز

The difference between knowing a thing by comparison and convention and knowing the quiddity of that thing.

ظاهرست آثار و میوه‌ی رحمتش ** لیک کی داند جز او ماهیتش3635

The effects and fruit of His mercy are manifest, but how should any one except Him know its quiddity?

هیچ ماهیات اوصاف کمال ** کس نداند جز بثار و مثال

None knows the quiddities of the attributes of (Divine) Perfection except through (their) effects and by means of comparison.

طفل ماهیت نداند طمث را ** جز که گویی هست چون حلوا ترا

The child does not know the quiddity of concubitus, except that you say, “It is like sweetmeat to thee.” [The child does not know the quiddity of sexual intercourse, except that you say, “it is like sweetmeat to thee.”]

کی بود ماهیت ذوق جماع ** مثل ماهیات حلوا ای مطاع

How should the quiddity of the pleasure of sexual intercourse be like the quiddities of sweetmeat, O master?

لیک نسبت کرد از روی خوشی ** با تو آن عاقل چو تو کودک‌وشی

But, since you are childish, that intelligent man offered you the analogy respecting the sweetness (of it),

تا بداند کودک آن را از مثال ** گر نداند ماهیت یا عین حال3640

In order that the child might know it by comparison, though he does not know the quiddity or essence of the matter.

پس اگر گویی بدانم دور نیست ** ور ندانم گفت کذب و زور نیست

Therefore, if you say “I know,” ’tis not far (from the truth); and if you say, “I do not know,” ’tis not a lie and a falsehood.

گر کسی گوید که دانی نوح را ** آن رسول حق و نور روح را

If some one say (to you), “Do you know Noah, the Messenger of God and the Light of the spirit?”—

گر بگویی چون ندانم کان قمر ** هست از خورشید و مه مشهورتر

And if you reply, “How should not I know (him)? for that (spiritual) Moon is more celebrated than the sun and moon:

کودکان خرد در کتابها ** و آن امامان جمله در محرابها

The little children at school and all the Imáms in the mosques

نام او خوانند در قرآن صریح ** قصه‌اش گویند از ماضی فصیح3645

Recite his name distinctly in the Qur’án and tell plainly his story (as it has come down) from the past”—

راست‌گو دانیش تو از روی وصف ** گرچه ماهیت نشد از نوح کشف

You, veracious man, know him by way of description, though the quiddity of Noah has not been revealed (to you).

ور بگویی من چه دانم نوح را ** همچو اویی داند او را ای فتی

And if you reply, “How should I know Noah? (Only) one like him can know him, O youth.

مور لنگم من چه دانم فیل را ** پشه‌ای کی داند اسرافیل را

I am a lame ant. How should I know the elephant? How should a gnat know Isráfíl?”—

این سخن هم راستست از روی آن ** که بماهیت ندانیش ای فلان

This saying (answer) is also true in regard to the fact that you do not know him in his quiddity, O so-and-so.

عجز از ادراک ماهیت عمو ** حالت عامه بود مطلق مگو3650

To be unable to perceive the quiddity, uncle, is the condition of common men: do not say it absolutely,

زانک ماهیات و سر سر آن ** پیش چشم کاملان باشد عیان

Inasmuch as quiddities and their inmost secret are clearly visible to the eyes of the Perfect.